NFL Week 8 - Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens - A First Look

by John Bena on Oct 26, 2009 4:34 PM MDT in 2009 Game Previews Comment 13 comments

The Denver Broncos (6-0) and Baltimore Ravens (3-3) both return from their bye weeks on Sunday when they face off against each other at M&T Bank Stadium at 1 p.m. EST.

QUICKLY:

Denver is 6-0 for the first time since 1998, and its six-game winning streak is the club’s longest since 2000 (6 games).
Head Coach Josh McDaniels is the fifth rookie coach in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to begin his coaching career with a 6-0 record.
The Broncos have been one of the NFL’s best teams in the second half/overtime this year, outscoring opponents by a 76-10 margin.
Denver owns the NFL’s fourth-best record (15-5 / .750) following the bye week since it was introduced by the league in 1990.

OFFENSE:

QB Kyle Orton is 9-1 in his previous 10 starts dating back to last year and ranks third among active quarterbacks in career winning percentage (.692 / 27-12). He leads the NFL in touchdown-to-interception ratio (9-to-1), lowest interception percentage (0.5%) and fourth-quarter passer rating (142.1).
RBs Correll Buckhalter (3rd, 4.3%) and Knowshon Moreno (5th, 6.1%) both rank among the NFL’s top five players in avoiding rushes for negative yardage. As a team, Denver leads the league in lowest percentage of rushes going for negative yardage (4.4% / 8-of-181 / excludes kneeldowns).

DEFENSE:

Coached by long-time NFL defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, the Broncos lead the NFL in scoring defense (11.0) and third-down percentage (26.9%) while ranking second in the league in yards per game allowed (262.5 ypg.) and yards per play allowed (4.4).
OLB/DE Elvis Dumervil leads the NFL with 10 sacks. He tied as the second-fastest player (6 games) to reach 10 sacks since they became an official statistic in 1982 (fastest since Michael Strahan, NYG, in 2001, 6 gms.).

SPECIAL TEAMS:

WR Eddie Royal became only the 11th player in NFL history to score a touchdown on a kickoff (93 yds.) and a punt return (71 yds.) in the same game at San Diego on Oct. 19. He joins Cleveland’s Joshua Cribbs as one of two players in the NFL’s top 10 in both punt and kickoff return average.
P Mitch Berger, a 16-year NFL veteran and two-time Pro Bowl choice, was signed on Monday. Since 1999, he ranks fifth in the league in gross (43.4 yds.) and net (36.6 yds.) punting average (min. 500 punts).

**Compliments of the Denver Broncos P.R. Staff

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Comments

a first look?

a lot of us have been focusing on this game for a week and a day now. I’m sure you have too. this is a critical game. the broncs need to show they can do it against a fresh, fired up defense like they’ll see in bmore. this is the first of two against top defenses. doing it on the road after the bye will be a huge challenge. i can hardly wait. I say if the broncs can withstand the initial push, win the battle of field position and don’t turn it over, the ravens will fold in the second half.

by The Wad on Oct 26, 2009 4:49 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

That makes sense to me...

The Ravens will come out like gangbusters. They need this win. If we can keep it close until halftime, we can let Nolan and McD do what they do best. Keep it close and let “The Fixer” do his job.

by T.Dot_Bronco on Oct 26, 2009 6:33 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

hey guy

I not like they runner he run with smash and not fall down he put hand down I see this guy gangbusted many play I hope we stop this guy. I hope we is the no turnover guys you know what I saying. mI hope mcdanels let offence cat out of bag for halloween day after surprise yes. he have has all weeks to do he game plan. 5 day off clearred head go to zoo he said it. what you gon do holme when horton rainbow to stokly come on third down in end zone for 6.

I is fan of the Denver

by Horvil Tiki on Oct 27, 2009 1:14 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I look for McD to succeed

in his effort to start faster this week. i think Flacco will be on his butt more than he’s used to.

-Harvey J. Neptune

"Practice doesn't make perfect. PERFECT practice makes perfect." - Vince Lombardi

by HarvJNep2n on Oct 26, 2009 9:59 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Back to work Kids

Break Time’s over.

Character may be manifested in the great moments but it is made in the small ones -- Philip Brooks

by KaptainKirk on Oct 26, 2009 4:49 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Good to see these stats.

Wonder how Baltimore looks in these categories!

Davis and Sharpe to the Hall!

"Teamwork divides the task and double the success."
- Unknown

by Jon Tollerud on Oct 26, 2009 4:57 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

?

Anybody have an idea how many times 2 teams coming off a bye met? Ravens also in the midst of playing 3 straight games against teams coming off a bye. All seems a little odd.

by AKfan on Oct 26, 2009 5:02 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't know, but it seems like we get to play a lot of teams off of their bye.

Chargers were coming off of their bye. The ravens and steelers and steelers both play us after their byes too. Maybe some others. I haven’t checked the rest of the schedule, but three in three weeks seems like a lot.

If Taylor Swift were to try and tackle me, I'd let her.

by kentuckybronco on Oct 26, 2009 5:12 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking the same thing.

If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!

by Trinidad Jack on Oct 26, 2009 5:13 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

You'd think the NFL

would schedule 2 teams to play each other coming off the same bye. It’s not right that teams have to continually play teams who have just had a bye. Each team should have the same amount of prep time, IMO

-Harvey J. Neptune

"Practice doesn't make perfect. PERFECT practice makes perfect." - Vince Lombardi

by HarvJNep2n on Oct 26, 2009 10:01 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jags at Tennessee this week

Both are off a bye.

IT is, and it's impossible for IT not to be.
Parmenides (5th Century B. C. Greek)

by bradley on Oct 26, 2009 5:27 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ravens

Denvers is a good spot to control the Ravens especially in the second half. The Ravens are struggling greatly on special teams, especially CB Carr whos under 5 yards per punt return in last 9 punts. Also Qb Flacco is averaging .92 percent INT per game and just at .50 percent fumbles, he is due (statistically) for both a fumble and INT Sunday. Denver gets points on better than 2/3 turn overs that alone beats the spread. Special teams is key in the first half and Naturally Defense in the second. I see Denvers playbook heavy with running this week, especially to the outside corners, (strong right, playing against Lewis). Look for Denver to spread the line late in the second half, Denver wins 17-6.

by AllYouCanEat on Oct 27, 2009 9:46 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs